Couple whose wedding rings were stolen days before ceremony marry with Haribos

Undated family handout photo of the hands of David Norris and his new wife Natalie Norris-LeeUndated family handout photo of David Norris and his new wife Natalie Norris-LeeUndated family handout photo of David Norris and his new wife Natalie Norris-Lee

A couple whose wedding rings were stolen days before they were due to be married tied the knot with Haribos instead.

David Norris, 43, and his new wife Natalie Norris-Lee, 39, banished the heartache of being burgled by placing a ring-shaped chewy sweet on one another's fingers during their wedding on Sunday.

Mr Norris said the couple then gobbled the jellies before they melted - to cheers from the congregation gathered at St Laurence's Church in Meriden, Warwickshire.

After months carefully planning the ceremony, the then groom and bride-to-be had laid out their wedding bands and other gifts in the kitchen at their Northampton home on the Friday night, ready to travel the next day.

But when they awoke on Saturday morning, they found thieves had stolen everything, including irreplaceable jewellery belonging to Mr Norris's late mother, and the rings.

"Our son was working late so we left the front door unlocked," said Mr Norris

Undated family handout photo of David Norris and his new wife Natalie Norris-LeeUndated family handout photo of David Norris and his new wife Natalie Norris-LeeUndated family handout photo of the hands of David Norris and his new wife Natalie Norris-Lee

"So they must have got in after 10.30pm, before he came back at 12.30am.

"It must have been a complete opportunist, who just tried the front door, and they got the lot."

He added: "All the gifts were boxed, and there was also a diamond and pearl necklace Natalie had bought a few years back that she wanted to wear, as well as a purse, and a laptop."

"It was just mad.

Undated family handout photo of David Norris and his new wife Natalie Norris-Lee

"You've got enough on your plate, and then all Saturday we were making calls, to the insurers and the police."

The couple then went to a local jewellers where Mr Norris bought a replacement wedding band.

However, Mrs Norris-Lee then struck upon the idea to use the jelly sweets instead.

"She just said 'why don't we use Haribo?' and I just said 'spot on, let's do it'," Mr Norris added.

The couple later tied the knot at the church, where Mr Norris' mother is buried, in front of friends and family.

"In church, we ate the rings," he said.

"We got a cheer and it was fun - everybody else was down about what had happened so it was good.

"You've got to get on with it otherwise it would have ruined the whole day, which you have spent so much time organising.

"We weren't going to let that happen."

He added: "The vicar thought it was great."

The couple, of Milton Street, in Kingsley are now jetting off on honeymoon in Thailand.

Northamptonshire Police said: "A couple from Northampton who were due to get married had their wedding rings stolen by burglars.

"Their house in Milton Street North, Kingsley was broken into sometime between 11pm on Friday, June 20 and 1am the following morning."

Anyone with information about the burglary is urged to call officers on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.